Sonja A. Cheek

MISSOULA ~ Sonja Tripp Cheek died at the age of 86 on November 28th, 2025, at her daughter’s home in Missoula, MT with family by her side. She was born in Deer River, MN on December 21st, 1938. She was the youngest of 7 children, being born 18 years later from the oldest sibling. In the early 1950’s, several family members were moving to Missoula, MT, so, Sonja and parents made the move to Missoula as well. Sonja met Floyd when she moved to CA to live with her brother Fred for a bit. Floyd was working for Fred. Sonja and Floyd married in 1962. A year later, while still in CA, they had Kim. In 1965 when the Watts Riots began, Sonja packed up the car and said I am moving back to Missoula and so they did. Back in MT, they had two more daughters, Jodie and Terri. Jodie died during childbirth.

Sonja worked at Champion Mill from 1966-1995 and then worked at the Bonner Mill from 1995-2001 (when she retired). Sonja worked in the manufacturing industry for 35 years and faced challenging conditions and was often on the front lines of the growing labor movement for woman, and she was proud of it.

Sonja loved dancing, her and Floyd danced their way through the 60s and 70s. They loved gardening together as well. Sonja liked to read, she was a member of the Missoula Eagles, she liked taking her grandkids shopping and out to eat, she liked to go gambling, she liked traveling with her kids and grandkids but most of all, she just enjoyed spending time with her family.

In 1981 Sonja lost her husband to Alzheimer’s Disease after battling the disease for 3-4 years. Sonja and Floyd were married just short of 20 years before losing her loving husband. Sonja never remarried.

Sonja had spent the last 3 years battling Colon Cancer. She has always been and was very strong willed during this time while doing chemo and immunotherapy treatments. If not for the cancer that eventually spread and took over her body, Sonja would have lived well into her 90s, she loved life and her family.

Sonja was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Wilma Tripp, brothers Hiram, Roland, Fred, Richard, and Harvey and one sister, Florence. Her husband Floyd and daughter Jodie Ranee. Sonja is survived by her SISTER in-law Bev Tripp, Daughters Kim (Rick) Kruger, and Terri Gutknecht. Grandchildren Kristi (Zach) Zentner, Janie Kruger, Jesse Kruger, Samantha Kruger and Cody (Jade) Gutknecht. Great Grandchildren Katey, Mariah, Alissa, Wyatt, Daniel, Avery and Preslee.

A Memorial Service is being held at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 12pm. A Celebration of Life will follow the memorial service at the Missoula Eagles #32 (2420 South Ave W. Missoula) at 3pm.